Simmering Tides
by Chaosmaiden07
Summary: With the birth of twins, the unthinkable occurs. As events threaten to wrench apart the fire nation will Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko be able to with-stand the growing rebellion? Or will everything collapse with a single choice? Azula leads the attack. discontinued
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Avatar the Last airbender. This is an idea that was floating around in my head for sometime. My good friend helped me out alot with this, proofreading and understanding my rants about brainstorming.**

**Please leave a review I realy excited to hear what people will think.**

Simmering tides

Chapter 1 smoking tides

After the battle with former Fire Lord Sozin the Avatar returned to Ba Sing Se. Once more to mediate between the four nations, between new Fire Lord Zuko, the Council of Elders of the Earth Kingdom, and the Water Tribes.

Snores could be heard all across the room. A throat cleared, and a blast of fire lanced across the room. The stifling heat instantly caused the sleeping students to sit straight on the floor. Surprised looks from most of the students caused the teacher to begin rubbing her temples in aggravation. Waving a negligent hand, the students rose and quietly dispersed from the room.

No one noticed the bright-eyed child who continued to slumber obliviously under his desk.

The halls of the fire palace per usual, as the last decade, were draped in the somber colors of midnight blue. If any of the palace valued their life (which they all did, except for the fire lord. _He_ seemed determined to continue to put his life in jeopardy), they made no comment.

Also several somber garbed middle-aged women attended the significant event. Their matriarch, as per usual had a perpetual half frown on her face. Who was currently _not_ in the palace per the disappearance of her favorite if not only nephew. But was rather waiting for said child to wake from under his desk.

When the golden eyed child awoke he stuck his head beyond the relatively safety of the desk, wide eyed expression so reticent of his fathers Mai felt the urge to suppress her growing desire to start throwing her knives at the boy.

The school was necessary, if not boring for the future crown prince of the fire nation.

Named ironically after the very man who helped defeat his grandfather.

(no not that name)

Mai's toneless monotone voiced, "Sokka."

Said Sokka grinned and flung himself at his adopted aunt, "Aunty Mai! Do I have a new sibling yet?"

Mai looked into his exuberant eyes, "No."

The molten orbs fell for a moment, saddened. The tiny voice held a melancholy, "Oh."

It is important to note that Mai was not heartless, as the court gossip would suggest, but rather refrained for expressing such emotions. The child knew this intimately, as he knew his aunt-sitter quite well significantly with her frequent custody in the last few mouths.

"Let's get you some food."

The little boy nodded as he was led from the room, into the open courtyard of the school towards an eating area. The fire palace loomed never quite far in the background.

The boy eyed a cow-bird eating a chunk of meat. Mumbling while catching up to the stoic lady, "Glad I'm a vegetarian."

A jet of white-hot flame shot into the sky bells pealed out across the capital Mai glanced up once before commenting about the sound and sight. Sokka's face transformed as he ran in front of Mai, eyes alight, "Do I have another sibling?"

Mai blinked, shrugged, "I suppose so."

Zuko was lucky to be born,

Azula was born lucky,

My sister was born unlucky,

I was unlucky to be born.

Katara, hands folded with her exterior perfectly calm, was growing steadily more irritated. After being cleaned up after the birth, she had wanted to get presentable. It was simple delight on her part that she could finally see her feet. No matter how many times her husband had insisted that her feet were perfectly fine and she had no need to see her feet, she wanted to see her feet. Now she didn't want to see her feet, so they were under the red blanket.

Katara, now getting angry at not being able to hold her perfectly healthy baby, Zuko had called it 'the mothering instinct', the one track mind blinded her to notice the worried looks the nurses were shooting at her. Katara crossed her arms, "I want my baby." It was a statement of fact, not an order, yet it carried dire implications.

The nurses, well aware of her temper, were survivors of the birth of Katara's first child and knew that they better get said baby to Katara, before Katara went to said baby and they got fire lord Zuko's 'daddy instinct' all worked up.

No one, save Katara, survived Zuko's 'daddy instinct'.

A nurse stepped forward, "Fire Lady Katara." Katara's eyed the formal address as if it were a moose lion, and with just as much trepidation. "There has been an unusual event. You had twins."

Katara's heart stopped, well aware of the implications. In the southern water tribe, twins were rare and almost always died.

The nurse cleared her throat, before resuming a clinically detached tone, "Both are born alive. As you assume one is weaker than the other. Shall I bring your daughter?"

"Yes." Katara breathed out heavily. The nurse nodded, and existed. Katara leaned back drained._ My baby lives_. Another thought struck Katara, _My daughter lives! _Sheer exultation filled her being.

Alone in her thoughts, Katara reviewed what she knew about twins.

In some cases it wasn't unusual for the mother of twins to die along with the two. But twins usually both died. It was even more rare for a twin to survive; they were so little compared to other babies. Her baby was so special to survive.

The door creaked opened and the nurse reappeared with a grin on her worn face, "Here is the little princess."

Katara beamed at the sound of her infant daughter, then smiled beautifically as her daughter was placed in her arms. Cooing softly at the squirming infant, before Katara began to nurse.

After a short while, the nurse cleared her throat for a third time before Katara looked up, the attendant wore a pained expression before she inquired, "Shall I inform Fire lord Zuko?"

"Yes."

Fire lord Zuko managed to get out of the restraining hands of _all_ the imperial firebenders, they had made the mistake of only using half the imperial firebenders at the birth of the crowned prince, and firmly resolved to use every available imperial firebender this time. Once the old matron had signaled, the imperial firebenders exhaustedly broke ranks around the entire length of the royal confines.

After that the Fire lord was loosed to Katara's side, Zuko kissed Katara before peeking at their daughter. "So adorable."

Katara continued to utter baby talk and rock the baby. Zuko tore his eyes off their daughter, "Have you thought of a name?" he asked softly.

Katara beamed, "Kanna, in remembrance of GranGran." Zuko nodded. As their daughter, Kanna, fell asleep to Katara's soft singing.

Several hours later, Katara could do nothing as she watched the life slowly recede from Kanna.

**Ohh, I feel so mean to do that to her but don't worry it will get better! Please leave a review any encouradgement would be greatly appreacated!**


	2. Hot water

**I don't own Avatar the last airbender, I'm just playing.**

Katara took in several calming breaths while the hustle and bustle of the occasion surrounded her.

Herself, a sea of turmoil.

Her child, an ocean of calm.

Glancing over at both cribs, Katara stubbornly clung to the dead body of Kanna.

A cry erupted from further back; eyes widening, Katara mutely watched as her still live child was brought to her. The corpse was wrested from her grip, as the several hours old child was placed into her empty arms.

Katara closed herself off to her emotions far to raw to touch, Simply staring the new face she had brought into this world.

It had been an exhausting, emotionally spent night; Katara had seen no moon.

Katara once more glanced down at her bundle. The eerily reminiscent coloring of her father's ivory skin, yet the pinnacle of her own peoples power, that of the moon, of princess Yueh. So much like that of her Kanna.

Katara shook her head rather violently, a second later her husband, the leader of his people broke into the room. Charging toward his wife, he eyed the dead corpse, head covered for a split second before it was taken away. He then turned to his wife, golden eyes reflecting the sorrow in his wife's own blue.

He tried to embrace his wife, only to notice at the last second the blanket in her limp arms. Mutely, she handed the bundle to a very surprised servant, who held the bundle awkwardly before quickly putting it into the hands of the stunned Fire Lord, who scarcely passed a glance at the child within before handing it to another servant, then turned slightly and embraced his wife.

The older servant, after aplomb walked towards the cribs, choosing the further one, placed the child inside, propping the child near the pillows, and remorselessly turned away from the darkened corner.

Zuko murmured comforting words to his wife, gently rocking her. Neither noticed, nor cared to notice, the somewhat lighter than red eyes that looked around the room.

The brilliant garnet eyes fixed on little-sister blue. Before the blue broke the contact. The red-eyed child continued towards her habitual haunt. Once within the green leaves, the red eyes peered out once more. Father was here again, with both little sister and brother as assigned to the 'family outing' by the turtle duck pond, watching as she normally did at the antics of her family.

Spectral red eyes continued to taunt far across the pond, tracking the progress of the little sister, when underneath the branch, the blue eyes flashed, and hands went on hips, copying Mother. In an imperial voice demanded, "Come down from there."

Red eyes remained firmly closed, preferring to hear little sister's plaintive demands. "I know you're awake! Get down here and play with me!"

Then little feet took off for a few steps, and called over to their parents. Her caterwauling brought both parents over. Mother put her hands incessantly near the fake tears of her daughter. While Father's gold gaze, barely moved as their daughter told the spur of the moment tale to her parents along with the impetuous command of demanding the disobedient one to come down.

The golden gaze searched for a good minute for the reclining errant child. Father tilted his head and gestured for his daughter to join, before leaving. Their mother was busy doting on make believe injures of her daughter's perceived slight by the elder, as the little sister was marched away.

Nimbly landing, and casting an unintentional baleful eye towards her now seated father, their second daughter leerily followed in Father's receding footsteps.

Choosing a space, and sitting quietly the red-eyed daughter looked distinctly out of place, yet anxious to please. Father's gold eyes fixed once more on the antics of little sister and Mother. Not even registering the near catatonic child a mere two feet from him, he smiled at little sister.

Sokka, however, nudged his red-eyed sibling, desperate for a moment of Kya-less-ness and no mothering. Red eyes blinked and turned to her brother castling a mildly curious glance at the 'homework' assigned. It was a family tree, mostly blank. Sokka handed the brush over before diverting himself toward the stares of several eligible visiting pretty girls on a tour.

Unsurprised at the disappearance of Sokka/her brother, ruby eyes flicked toward her father, who was still enjoying the sight of Mother and little sister still highly involved with their 'game'. Ruby orbs glanced back at the still blank family tree. Then decided to fill in the missing names.

Fire Lord Azulon, Fire Lady Iiah, sons elder Iroh- she added a bit of a flourish to the name- he was her favorite, paused then squeezed in crowned prince before the name – next to it: his wife, and merged under the names Lu Ten. Starting back from Azulon, the straight line arrowed at Fire Lord Ozai, the younger brother, wife Ursa. Children Fire lord Zuko, wife Katara –She deliberately made the name slightly smaller - Fire Lord Zuko's only sibling: Princess Azula.

The brush lifted from the page in thought. Before realizing she had never met her aunt. (Then made a mental note to meet her aunt.) Red eyes raised hopefully at her father. Maybe her aunt would even like her; maybe even, she barely allowed the almost unobtainable joy, she would praise her.

When Kya tired and trudged into a tree root, her upheld arms were enough to gather her small form into Daddy's arms, and walk quietly through their home.

The outing was over and Dad, carrying Kya, with his other sister trailing behind, obviously looking for him, Sokka waved. Then gave a thumbs-up sign. The return grin was infectious, and Sokka found himself smiling back, before glancing at his Mom, who was clearly not as infected as she waded out of the pond.

Mom wrung out her hair with a half-smiled gaze at her departing husband and daughters and then she walked to his 'homework'. Studying it, she said: "This report is excellent." Sokka smiled at the praise and not getting caught. Mom suddenly smirked, "Your sister's hand-writing has certainly improved, hasn't it?" -

Sokka gulped. Mom gingerly picked up the four page long report. "You can start your own report tonight. In my sitting room, away from any opportunity for your sister to do it for you." Sokka groaned, "But that will take forever! My friends and I were gonna play 'Redemption'!"

Mom shook her head, "More like 'hide and explode'."

Sokka turned puppy eyes on her, his chances of escaping glimmering just in front of him, "Does that mean I can go if we play hide and explode?" He didn't give her a chance to correct the deliberate misinterpretation. "Thankyouloveyouseeyoulater!" He ran off mid-sentence, almost out of range before a water tentacle whipped around and grabbed him. Hoisting him off his feet into the air in front of his thoroughly amused mother.

"I don't think so."

"But Mom!"

Katara set her son down, "No Sokka. Finish the family tree, and then come inside." Seeing the mutinous look on her son's face, Katara put her hands on her hips. "None of that young man. Sitting room, my sitting room in ten minutes." Katara ordered, not giving him an opening to misconstrue her order. The Fire Lady, clothes sopping, dripped her way to her quarters where a fresh, dry set of clothing awaited.

Sokka, crowned prince of the fire nation, squished over to the paper, Mom had walked off with the hardest part of the homework. Sokka eyed the precise calligraphy, the paper almost looked like it was a document from the dragon bone catacombs.

Sokka, after a minute of reading, found the last generation. An expert at knowing just how much he had actually written, the last twelve or so generations of the royal family, had been subtly corrected, by his sister, when he had just guessed or made up names, and to top off she had done it in a near perfect mimic of his handwriting.

He really loved his sister in moments like these.

He would never admit it to anyone, he reminded himself. He did have a reputation to maintain after all. Plus the girls in the palace would tease him about it.

Picking up the brush, he added the last few names, under Fire Lord Zuko, and Fire Lady Katara, himself, Crowned Prince Sokka, Princess Kanna who had died and was his beloved red eyed sister's twin, Andra, the surviving twin, and their shared-annoying-pestering-spoiled-sibling Kya.

Done with his family tree, Sokka waited for the ink to dry before heading to where he knew his mother would be waiting.

The open door to his precious daughter Kya's room openly invited him to lay Kya down on her bed, and tuck the sheets over. He leaned over Kya, readjusting the sheets to suit her, then turning. Before jumping in surprise as the stranger at his side also turned to leave. The blank red stare's owner, waited confused. The fire lord managed a (forced) lukewarm smile, the delighted grin that appeared from his child's face was ghastly in it's sheer delight at recognition.

Stunned Zuko reverted to previous mechanical behavior by heading towards the door, pausing a second before realizing his child was once more at his elbow. Zuko swallowed nervously, before barely restraining himself from bolting.

It did not occur to the Fire Lord until later, as Zuko was in his own bed, that while he knew every inch of the palace, Zuko did not know where his garnet eyed daughter slept.

The next few years grew worse.

**Whew, now that I found it on my computer.**

**I hope you liked it, please review!**


	3. Monster

**Yes I know it's short. But I'm tryng to get into the more mental elements. I don't own Avatar. Just the kids and the story. Hope you like it.**

My blued eyed little sister, was not only a monster, but was, despite Mother's best efforts, a firebender. Not only that, but my brother Sokka was also, despite Mother's efforts, a firebender.

What caused the attention was that while Sokka's fire had usually displayed the typical orange and red flame, he had acquired yellow fire, Sokka's ability was encouraged by Father.

Yet the encouragement Dad gave me became less common as a disturbing parallel was made. The first treated princess of the fire nation, our little sister Kya had during training with fire bending masters, produced blue flame.

No one noticed that Andra had also possessed blue fire. Not only that, but she had pretty much mastered it.

I was so jealous when I found out, worried, but jealous.

**dun dun dunnn.**

**he he, next chap will be longer**


	4. Host

**Okay here we go, I don't own the cartoon.**

The Princess of the fire nation, Kya in a few rare moments of not being around Mommy waltzed into the fire bending arena, Sokka her large brother had already warmed up and had begun to fire bend, as he heated the air, his fire held yellow a split second longer than usual. Sokka was obnoxiously pleased with this, the fire lord continued to drill his son in the positions of fire bending, yellow fire consistently expanding into the flames that leapt to life from the ancient art. Orange fire had consistently since the first half of Sokka's training, continued to change toward yellow at intermittent intervals, while sporadically losing the cooler red. His fire was getting hotter.

Kya however felt rising jealously as the fire lord spent more time with Sokka. Narrowing her eyes, Kya took the customary breath in, and caught up to both Sokka and Dad in several minutes. The fire lord had tried to forbid her from learning firebending, but just as quickly, Daddy changed his mind. Kya's blue eyes quickly absorbed the movements of her Dad's expert skill, launching another fireball.

Kya concentrated harder as the steps became more challenging, maintaining a steady body heat had become easier of late. The fire was somehow hotter than before, balancing on one leg and holding the other straight out Kya added her exuberance to the flame. It flashed blue, than yellow before dissipating.

Kya held the position a split second longer than expected. Recovering quickly and partially ignoring both her father, Kya repeated the same movement. The flames had not changed, the yellow orange dissipated. Kya determined to repeat the sought blue flame. Began again, starting from the beginning, the lunge and kick produced a slightly longer-lasting blue flame.

This time Dad noticed. The stunned silence was deafening, the fire lord eyed his daughter, who was looking up at him exuberantly, awaiting praise. Her brother shifted before his father, catching the wariness.

The only answering reply was a stoic, "You are a prodigy." Zuko turned then half ordered, "No more firebending today." Zuko caught Mai's eye, both nodding mutely before the Fire Lord exited the room. Mia's monotone voiced something; the Fire Lord was too preoccupied with what Zuko had seen to comprehend the meaning.

Quickly and quietly Zuko made his way toward his wife's personal water training area close to the pond. The splashing alerted him to Katara's temper. Zuko watched as Katara effortlessly curled water into advanced water bending forms. Leading against one of the cool pillars drinking in the lovely sight of his wife. Katara noticed and dropped the water with a splash, wading over to the stoic form of her husband. Gently asking, "What is wrong Zuko?" Gold met blue, Zuko sucked in a breath, "Kya."

Katara blinked confused.

Zuko took in another breath, "Kya was firebending." The Fire Lord clarified. As if that would explain everything

Katara laughed, "That isn't unusual, Uncle Sokka is rather mad at all the little firebenders we keeping having."

Zuko frowned, taking her verbal barb, "Like I can't father a water bender? He keeps questioning my ability as a father."

Katara smiled gently taking the sting out of her brother's words, "Sokka just wants to show off a little. You know how all of the gang wants to meet back up. Personally I think he's afraid that our little Sokka jr. is going to beat my brother's children."

Zuko laughed, "Sokka jr. would beat both of Sokka's sons with firebending. Regardless of their waterbending." Zuko announced proudly. Katara giggled, "Yes. So what was troubling you?"

Zuko's melancholy mood reasserted itself, "Kya bent blue fire. I am worried."

Katara blinked, "Are you sure?" The Fire Lord nodded, "Positive, Kya did it twice." Katara hit him playfully, "Kya isn't Azula, Zuko. Stop worrying, you're too good of a Dad to let our baby turn into something like that." Zuko shook his head, appeased; he tilted her head towards him, "More like your too good of a Mom to let that happen."

Katara leaned toward her husband, and purred, "So does that mean that we can invite the gang here?"

Zuko deliberately, avoided the question.

**Sneaky rules**

**tell me what you think**


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